on race, gender, humor, and insult

[silveraspen]

If an individual (or group) in possession of privilege* makes a remark about an individual (or group) who does not possess the same degree of privilege, it is not humorous, but insulting. This is because of the inherent imbalance of power involved.

Yes, Don Imus, I'm looking at you. You're not the only one who does it. That just makes the

Comments

[silveraspen]

Isn't it?

And it's a pattern of behavior for him, insofar as I'm aware. One may hope that he will come away from this experience having been educated as to what's appropriate, and will have learned something that will lead to positive things in the future.

Sadly, I suspect that he's more trying to cover his ass, instead.

[furikku]

Amen on that, yo.

Privilege sucks.

[silveraspen]

Clearly the world still has a long way to go.

[silveraspen]

It's set for public view, I believe, as I was able to see it. Interesting essay!

I myself would say, though, that it's a combination of problems in one statement, rather than give preference to one or the other. Both the racist and the misogynist aspects of Imus's comment are reprehensible. (Which I think you agree with me on, don't get me wrong!)

But it's important, yes, to make it clear that there are multiple darts being aimed here.

[silveraspen]

... and today I have learned something. Thank you for that concept! I can see it being very useful, and it's certainly valuable.

Also, yeah.

[silveraspen]

I agree with you. If he were black, then it's (only?) a different exercise of privilege: gender privilege, as well as that of a privileged position as a celebrity.

[gao]

I think, in not quite but sort of agreement with those above, that Imus's statement is really a whole ball of fucked up.

The essential point is that he and his "crew" took it on themselves to insult the Rutgers girls for winning. He negates their win by saying that they're manly, and kicked the ass of a more feminine team.

That he does it by calling them nappy-headed hos managing to get in the extra kicks that a) although they're masculine, they are not as good as men, obviously, since they're hos, and b) they are 'blacker' than the other team, assumably because they're more masculine. In other words, repeating the old assertion that an attractive black woman is a black woman who looks white.

(I'm assuming the other team had an equal number of black players, given the School Daze references.)

So. I don't think it's a matter of a slur against women, or a slur against African-Americans, or even against talented athletes. It's a slur against talented female African-American athletes, telling them their athleticism makes them failures